About

From very early on in Maurice Ravel’s career it was clear that he was excited by the orchestra’s capacity for passion, exoticism and excess, and that strings, wind and brass, unlike the piano, sustain sounds. He was a master of orchestration and one of his favourite occupations was orchestrating his own piano music. Most of the works in this superb collection were originally written for the piano, with the exception of the three ballets.

Many of Ravel’s greatest works for orchestra are here, including pieces inspired by his Spanish background, Boléro, Alborada del gracioso, and his homage to Spain, the Rapsodie Espagnole. The collection also features one of Ravel’s most astonishing achievements, the Valses nobles et sentimentales: a set of seven sparing and dissonant waltzes, Daphnis et Chloé, the sumptuous full-length ballet he wrote for the Ballet Russes, and the dark and menacing portrait of the dance – La valse.

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Ravel: Boléro

Ravel: Alborada Del Gracioso

Ravel: Rapsodie Espagnole - 1. Prélude À La Nuit

Ravel: Rapsodie Espagnole - 2. Malagueña

Ravel: Rapsodie Espagnole - 3. Habanera

Ravel: Rapsodie Espagnole - 4. Feria

Ravel: La Valse

Ravel: Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte

Ravel: Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales - 1. Modéré

Ravel: Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales - 2. Assez Lent

Ravel: Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales - 3. Modéré

Ravel: Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales - 4. Assez Animé

Ravel: Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales - 5. Presque Lent

Ravel: Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales - 6. Assez Vif

Ravel: Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales - 7. Moins Vif

Ravel: Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales - 8. Épilogue: Lent

Ravel: Menuet Antique

Ravel: Le Tombeau De Couperin - 1. Prélude

Ravel: Le Tombeau De Couperin - 2. Forlane

Ravel: Le Tombeau De Couperin - 3. Menuet

Ravel: Le Tombeau De Couperin - 4. Rigaudon

Ravel: Ma Mère L'Oye - Prélude

Ravel: Ma Mère L'Oye - Danse Du Rouet Et Scène

Ravel: Ma Mère L'Oye - Pavane De La Belle Au Bois Dormant

Ravel: Ma Mère L'Oye - Interlude

Ravel: Ma Mère L'Oye - Les Entretiens De La Belle Et De La Bête

Ravel: Ma Mère L'Oye - Interlude

Ravel: Ma Mère L'Oye - Petit Poucet

Ravel: Ma Mère L'Oye - Interlude

Ravel: Ma Mère L'Oye - Laideronnette, Impératrice Des Pagodes

Ravel: Ma Mère L'Oye - Interlude

Ravel: Ma Mère L'Oye - Le Jardin Féerique

Ravel: Daphnis Et Chloé Suite #2 - 1. Lever Du Jour

Ravel: Daphnis Et Chloé Suite #2 - 2. Pantomime

Ravel: Daphnis Et Chloé Suite #2 - 3. Danse Generale

Reviews

“He (Haitink) is responsive to the whole range of this composer’s orchestral – and expressive – spectrum, from the gentle wistfulness of the musette which forms the central section of Le tombeau de Couperin
to the orgiastic ends to Boléro and La valse. Ravel’s orchestration, in other words, varies between the lightest watercolours and the heaviest oils, and this recording captures it all beautifully, the tiny details as much
as the explosions.”